Parties sue Bayelsa govt over non conduct of council poll

Four political parties have sued the Bayelsa State Government for refusal to conduct an election for local government councils whose tenure expired in August 2022.

The parties: All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Action Democratic Party (ADP), Action Alliance (AA) and Peoples’ Redemption Party (PRP) brought the suit through Hon. Brisbe Kpodoh, Tare Edwin, Alex Bufumoh and Azibola Okala before the Bayelsa State High Court in Yenogoa.

They want a determination seeking, among other reliefs, whether the refusal of the defendant to conduct council elections after the tenure of the last elected executives expired since August 2022, is not a breach of their right to vote and be voted for as provided for under Section 7(4) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

In the suit, numbered YHC/8M/2023, the claimants in an affidavit notified the court that they have at various times through their umbrella body the InterParty Advisory Council (IPAC) notified the defendants that they were going to commence legal action against the defendants, yet the defendants have consistently turned a deaf ear.

They further drew the attention of the court to the fact that the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, headed by the 3rd defendant had previously amended the Local Government Law, empowering the 1st defendant to appoint a caretaker committee to oversee the affairs of the eighth local government areas if they are unable to conduct, elections, saying that such power is unconstitutional.

Justice Iniekenimi Uzaka has however adjourned the suit to March 8 for further hearing.